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Saturday, May 24, 2008

The Underneath - Kathi Appelt

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt New books come into the bookstore all the time. For some unknown reason I am drawn to some. Every time I turn around the book is there waiting. The Underneath by Appelt was one those books, it would not be ignored. Finally giving into the urge I picked it up. I am a sucker for good blurbs. The Underneath has a few including one by award winning author/illustrator Ashley Bryan. Bryan doesn't blurb much, so I knew The Underneath had to be special and it was.The Underneath is magical and beautiful story. It's a tale of many things, set in the deep deep Southern Bayou. The past and present are told until they eventually collide. The tale begins with a calico cat who has been abandoned. Now she wanders alone for a safe place to have her kittens. From the beginning Applet's writing is poetic, she quickly pulls the reader in. The calico cat is drawn to a hound's song.

Oh, I woke up on this bayouGot a chain around my heart.Yes, I'm sitting on this bayou,Got a chain tied round my heart.Can't you see I'm dying?Can't you see I'm cryin?Can't you throw an old dog a bone?Oh I woke up it was raininBut it was tears came fallin downCan't you see I'm tryinCan't you hear my cryin?Can't you see I'm all alone?Can't you throw an old dog a bone?

That was only chapter three. Applet gives us so much more. After hearing that song the calico cat seeks out the hound, Ranger. She finds him forever chained to a back porch. The calico decides to stay and have her kittens. This is a small part of a wonderful tale. It's also about love, hate, consequences, forgiveness, revenge, basically all the emotions that fuel or eat away at us.Applet's writing is beautiful and colorful. She weaves a tale that should be read and will be loved.